Water bottles and unpressurized bladders are commonly used by cyclists, hikers, drivers and others during outdoor or indoor activities. They provide a valuable source of hydration to persons involved in such activities. Drawing hydration from water bottles through tubes with bite valves while cycling, walking, running or driving may cause stumbling, accidents and/or other damage.
In the past decade, certain pressurized hydration systems have been introduced into the market. These have improved the ability to draw hydration as long as a minimum required pressure is available. Some pressurized hydration systems use handheld air pumps to supply pressure while others use pressurized canisters to provide pressure.
Such hydration systems provide either water or a mixture of water and food additives (enhanced hydration) in the bottle or bladder. Having enhanced hydration in such containers requires frequent cleaning and rinsing of the bottles and/or bladders as well as other hydration system components including caps, bite valves and tubes to clear gummy residues that food/hydration additives leave.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,540,122, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/764,620, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,136,702, discloses a hydration system that is activated by a gas that exerts pressure, wherein baffles are used to regulate the flow of pressure. In this manner, the rate of release of the hydration substance stored in the bladder is controlled.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/270,787, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/497,672, discloses a pressurized fluid delivery system that reduces the need for repressurizing the flexible bladder because pressure from a pressurizable sleeve can provide an applied force against the flexible bladder even as the bladder is emptied.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,703,633 discloses a mouthpiece assembly of a water bottle wherein the seal member is moved when the user squeezes the mouthpiece. Other hydration systems are shown at http://bluedesert.co.il and http://www.geigerrig.com.